Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem gave Congress inaccurate information on Tuesday about the authority exercised by her controversial senior adviser, Corey Lewandowski, according to documents reviewed by ProPublica and interviews with four current and former DHS officials.
Lewandowski holds an unconventional position at the Department of Homeland Security. Although he is not on the federal payroll, he functions as a senior figure within the agency and assists Noem in overseeing its operations. Lawmakers have repeatedly pressed DHS in recent months to clarify the extent of his responsibilities and decision-making power.
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut asked Noem whether Lewandowski plays any role in approving DHS contracts. She replied unequivocally, “No.”
However, internal agency records obtained by ProPublica appear to contradict that statement. The documents indicate that Lewandowski personally signed off on a multimillion-dollar equipment contract last summer.
Officials familiar with DHS procedures said this was not an isolated incident. Lewandowski has reportedly approved multiple contracts and is frequently required to review and authorize major agreements before funds are disbursed.
Last year, Noem implemented a policy centralizing spending oversight within her office and among her closest aides. Under the new rules, she must personally review and approve all contracts exceeding $100,000. Before reaching her desk, contracts pass through several political appointees, each of whom signs or initials a routing checklist. According to DHS sources, Lewandowski’s name typically appears as the final approver before Noem.
Despite this process, Noem maintains that Lewandowski does not have “a role in approving contracts” at DHS.
Federal law makes it illegal to “knowingly and willfully” provide false information to Congress, though such cases are seldom pursued.
In a statement, a DHS spokesperson reaffirmed Noem’s position, stating that “Mr. Lewandowski does NOT play a role in approving contracts.” The spokesperson also emphasized that Lewandowski receives no salary or federal benefits and volunteers his time in service to the American public. Lewandowski did not respond to requests for comment.
A number of media outlets, including Politico, have previously detailed elements of his involvement in DHS contracting matters.
There have been widespread reports that the agency’s revised contract approval system has led to delays. DHS oversees duties ranging from immigration enforcement and disaster response to airport security, and it maintains that the stricter review process has saved taxpayers billions of dollars.
A comparable approval structure applies to other policy decisions within the department. One routing checklist concerning the rollback of protections for Haitian nationals in the United States surfaced during litigation last year. It included the signatures of several senior DHS advisers, followed by Lewandowski’s signature and then Noem’s.
An internal U.S. Department of Homeland Security policy document dated February 2025 indicates that senior officials, including top aide Corey Lewandowski and Noem — identified as “S1” — approved a policy shift.
Lewandowski holds the status of a “special government employee,” a classification traditionally used to allow professionals to serve temporarily in government without leaving their private-sector positions. (At the start of the Trump administration, Elon Musk held the same designation.) Individuals in this category are subject to only some of the ethics rules that apply to full-time officials and are allowed to maintain outside income sources.
Lewandowski has declined to say whether he receives compensation from any outside entities and, if so, to identify them.